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Lot essay

The superb quality of carving on the present lot follows imperial 18th century prototypes, and would certainly have been executed by experienced craftsmen well versed in working with rare and exotic woods such as zitan.

The use of zitan veneer is often seen as a method of construction used to conserve the dwindling supply of the precious wood. While this type of construction was also employed in the mid-Qing dynasty, it is quite often seen on later Qing furniture, as the substantial amount of zitan required for a table of this size was often not readily available.